August 5th - Testing the Water

After osprey chicks learn to fly, they begin to acquaint themselves with the lake.  An early step is getting used to the water, and how it feels, by entering and exiting it numerous times.  This is the first step in becoming proficient at catching fish.

Here C43 is ready for the first of many entries, flying slowly, with talons ready to carve into the surface to soften the impact.

In he goes, without much of a splash this time.  On other attempts when something isn't right, the water really flies.

Once in the water, the chicks will often use their wings to swim foward, and splash around.  They float well, and seem to enjoy this activity.  It may also serve as a cooling mechanism during hot weather.

A couple of hard wing beats brings C43 out of the water into the air again.  After flying a short distance, this same activity may be repeated one or more times. At the end of a session, a vigorous airborne shake will rid the bird of excess water trapped in its feathers, making flight easier.

Please Note:  The photographs on this page were taken by Jim Kortge. They are copyrighted material, and cannot be used without the photographers written permission.